CAREER diplomat Franz Hall has been appointed as Jamaica's new ambassador to Cuba.

Hall, who has been a member of the Jamaican Foreign Service for more than 30 years, is currently assigned duties as under-secretary with responsibility for the oversight of the Diaspora, Protocol and Consular Affairs Division.

In making the announcement Tuesday, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, said, "Mr Hall is a well-seasoned and dedicated foreign service officer, who brings to the position over 30 years' experience in multilateral, bilateral, diasporic and consular diplomacy. I am confident that he will use the opportunity of this new diplomatic assignment to strengthen the good relations and cooperation between Jamaica and Cuba."

Hall has served as counsellor in the Jamaican Mission in Geneva (1997-1999); deputy consul general at the Consulate General of Jamaica in New York (1999-2002); minister-counsellor at the Jamaican Embassy, Washington, DC (2008-2012) consul general at the Consulate General of Jamaica at Miami (2013-2018) and was appointed as director of protocol in 2018.

Hall holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from City College in New York, and a Bachelor of Science in International Relations from the University of the West Indies. He is a past student of Jamaica College.

The ambassador-designate is expected to assume duties later this month. He will also have jurisdiction for Jamaica's relations with the Dominican Republic.